Professor
Department of Library Services
Biography
Prest grew up in New Hampshire, home of the world's oldest free, tax-supported public library.
He has lived in Florida, Oregon, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Illinois (twice) and Pennsylvania (twice). He has traveled to many countries, including Western Europe, Russia, Greece and Israel. He is particularly fond of Austria.
For nine years, he was involved in pastoral ministry. He was ordained by the Evangelical Covenant Church and served in one of its churches in Michigan for five years. He then transferred his ordination standing into the United Methodist Church, pastoring three churches simultaneously in Ohio for four years. In 1995, he left ordained ministry to pursue a career as an academic librarian.
He worked for Illinois Wesleyan University as a temporary information services librarian in 1997 and was hired in 1998 as Cal U's first electronic resources librarian and library webmaster.
For 10 years, he authored the Religion section of Magazines for Libraries (a Bowker publication), which is a tool for libraries to evaluate and select journals and magazines. His review of the "Digital Library of Classic Protestant Texts" database was published in Library Journal. He also is a member of the University Honors Program Advisory Board.
Courses
- Guest lecturer on research resources and techniques in psychology, social work, biology, philosophy, business and applied engineering and technology
- Library liaison for the departments of Applied Engineering and Technology, Biological and Environmental Sciences and Philosophy
Projects
- Judge, Pennsylvania Junior Academy of Science, Region 8; 10th-11th grade physics section; Cal U, Feb. 21, 2009.
- PASSHE Board of Student Government Leadership Conference: Presented two sessions on Robert's Rules of Order to student government leaders
- Speaker, PEACE Project Walk a Mile in Her Shoes, the International Men's March to Stop Rape, Sexual Assault and Gender Violence.
- Post-debate monitor, American Democracy Project, Debate Watch Commission on Presidential Debates, 2008
- Associate of Arts: Business Administration, Brevard Community College
- Bachelor of Religious Education: Biblical Studies, Baptist Bible College of Pennsylvania
- Master of Theology: Grace Theological Seminary
- Master of Science: Library and Information Science, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign